She finds him again

And takes away his pain

But she does not know the truth

Warning: I luv niki recommends rereading chapter 7 because she's added a lot to it!

Scarlet Knight

i luv niki4444

Chapter 8: Crushing

Zero coughed into the sink, wincing as her rubbed his throat soothingly. "Damn." His breath became labored before he once again started coughing and he placed both hands on the sink to support himself.

"Zero?"

He froze mid-cough, maybe if he didn't make a sound she wouldn't know he was there…

"Zero? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Kagome's voice was quiet, but urgent. She tugged on the door and Zero found himself regretting not locking it. This was the Headmaster's bathroom and Yuuki often walked in accidentally.

"D-Don't come in!" He replied gruffly, walking back on unsteady feet to fall against the door, thus keeping it closed from her prying eyes.

The door slammed into his back when she didn't listen to him and he was once again sent into a flurry of coughs.

"That doesn't sound good Zero!" Her voice had become panicked as her mind began to exaggerate possibilities of what was wrong with him. "Let me in! I can help!"

Zero highly doubted that, but he also really needed to get back to the sink before he threw up on the floor… that wasn't what he wanted at the moment. It'd be a pain to clean up.

He hurried to the toilet, just barely getting out of the door's range before Kagome planted a shove to the door that would have surely knocked it off it's hinges had he still been in front of it.

As it was it made a decent slam against the wall and there'd be a dent there for a while.

"Oh my lord! Zero!" She rushed to his side just in time to witness him spilling his guts. Kagome quickly put a small amount of her healing powers in her hand and began to rub soothing circles in his back.

…Granted she wasn't supposed to be using said powers on anything other than cuts or giant holes, but this was her friend. She could continue to heal him since there seemed to be something seriously wrong with him.

Zero felt his pain fading away rapidly and unwillingly relaxed into her touch. 'Why does her hand… feel so nice?' Shaking the feeling off, he jerked away from her as the pain disappeared completely.

He vaguely saw a flash of pink as he regained his composure and glared at her. "I'm fine! What are you doing here?" He added, frustrated and embarrassed by her intrusion.

Kagome blushed, turning her face away. "…I was going to take a shower before bed."

"Eh?" He blinked fully taking her in. Fuzzy pajama short shorts and a tiny tang top showing off most of her stomach. With a cough Zero turned away. "…Whatever."

He walked out quickly , not because he knew how embarrassed she would be when she realized he'd seen what she was wearing… no it was because he'd just taken his shower anyway.

Factoring in the unusual absence of pain, he didn't need the bathroom anymore.

Kagome frowned as she watched his retreating back. "What was that about?" She wondered as he disappeared. Turning from her task of closing the door –and locking it- she froze as she caught a look at herself in the mirror. "…"

She let out a mortified scream. 'Z-Zero!'

"…"

"Say something!" Kagome groaned, her head hitting her hands.

"Zero saw you… in those PJ's?" Yuuki's lips twitched into a small smile.

Letting out a humiliated moan, Kagome fell to her knees resting her head in Yuuki's lap. "How will I ever face him again?"

After she'd gotten over her embarrassment, she'd taken a quick shower –it couldn't have all been for nothing- and then ran back to her new room to wake up Yuuki.

Yuuki giggled slightly, though she felt sorry for her friend –now sister!- she kept seeing a chibi version of her running around the room in despair… it was extremely adorably. "You don't have anything to worry about. He's walked in on me in just my underwear more times than I can count."

Kagome let out a small sound similar to a keen, "But he's your brother, Yuuki! …I mean your actual brother!"

Yuuki blinked, "…You think he's my biological brother?"

"Yes?"

Yuuki couldn't help it, she started laughing. "Do we look anything alike?!

Kagome frowned, "Wait. He's not?"

"The headmaster adopted us both."

Kagome's eyes widened. 'I would have never pictured it.' "Oh. Then how did you meet Zero?"

"I'd like you to meet Zero Kireyu. Be nice to him Yuuki, his family was killed by a bad vampire."

Yuuki turned her wide eyes to the young boy whom, Kaien had brought home. He was bigger than her, with hair and lilac eyes, but he looked so sad and alone.

"Help him get cleaned up. I have some business with with the police I must attend to."

Zero didn't move even after Kaien was gone.

Yuuki shifted, feeling pain in her heart as he continued to stand there, motionless. "So the bath its…it's over here." She pointed inside the house.

He didn't move.

"May I touch you?" She asked quietly.

He didn't answer, but Yuuki knew that now that the question had been asked, now that he knew what she was doing, he would not strike out.

"Come on." She lent a supporting hand around his neck and on his chest and began to slowly lead him to the baths.

"There's hot water in the tub already."

Once again there was not a peep out of Zero and Yuuki felt the lump in her throat grow. "Um… you want… help with your shirt?"

She silently lifted his coat from him and was astonished by the blood that coated him from his left cheek to his arm.

She went for a fresh wash cloth and dunked it into the water, squeezing out the excess, before approaching him once more. "Can I clean that up?"

"Every time I did something, I asked his permission. But Zero never said a word. I approached Zero cautiously, because I felt the boy in front of me… would fall to pieces otherwise." Yuuki said quietly.

Kagome thought over what she had seen from Zero and couldn't picture him as anything but the strong teenager he was today. "Who could have done that to him?" 'A bad vampire? Maybe…'

"He never said exactly, but we know it was a vampire."

"Our first class is Chemistry." Kagome groaned, "This sucks. I didn't get enough sleep for my brain to think and stuff in the morning."

Yuuki nodded from the seat beside her. "Nap time."

Kagome's head promptly hit the desk. "I'm with you."

Sayori giggled from beside Yuuki as she watched the two, she felt sad that the Headmaster had switched her room but she was also happy that Yuuki would get to bond with her newest family member. "Are you okay? I heard you walking through the halls later than usual yesterday."

Yuuki blinked, "Eh…Ohhhh! That was Kagome. She had an embarrassing encounter with Zero last night."

Sayori nodded solemnly, like that explained it all.

"Why are the girl's so worked up today?" Kagome grumbled, she'd thought they'd been sold on her whole 'Don't bother the boys' act. However, today they were extra crazy.

"Valentine's Day was yesterday. They want to know how the boys felt about their chocolates." Yuuki muttered, helping her hold off the tenacious group of girls.

That's when the gates opened and out walked the Night Class.

"Good Morning Yuuki." Kaname replied as he walked passed.

Yuuki quickly turned and bowed, "Good Morning!"

Kagome was slightly miffed that he ignored her, but also happy about it. She was still trying to decide whether or not she should eat his chocolate, and factoring in that he'd disregarded her she could now convincingly tell herself it was poisoned.

Kaname paused for a second before turning back and walking up to Zero. "Hello. How are you feeling?"

Zero gasped, but otherwise didn't reply.

Kaname shook his head. "You take care." He began to walk away.

Zero's fist clenched. "Listen if you want to challenge me… I'll be ready and waiting anytime you want, Kaname."

"Tsk! That jerk…" Aido's eyes flashed and he was about to turn and teach Zero a lesson when Kain caught his arm.

"Hanabusa."

Aido nodded slightly, keeping his temper in check.

Kaname continued on his walk and instead of walking passed Kagome once more, he pulled her into his arms.

Kagome turned scarlet and tried to pull away, but his arms became iron and she was caged.

"Did you like my chocolate?" Kaname asked quietly, though everyone was still able to hear it because of the silence.

"I'm still considering whether or not it's safe to eat." Kagome's eyes narrowed and she added a bit of her purification powers to shove away, this time freeing herself and being caught by a stunned Yuuki.

Kaname's only reaction to this was a small, amused smile. "I spent hours making that for you, Kagome. I can confirm that it isn't poisoned."

"Like I'd trust your word." She spit out.

Kaname shook his head sadly, "Trust what you like." He turned on his heel and walked back to the other Night Class students, "I'll be waiting to see you again, Kagome."

Yuuki frowned worriedly as Kagome practically jumped from her arms and stalked into the woods. 'What's going on? Kaname gave Kagome…chocolate? And he made it himself? Does he like her?' She briefly caught Zero's eye. 'Is Zero hiding something? Does Kaname know something about him that I don't?' Yuuki closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. 'I'm just reading too much into things.'

Kagome closed her eyes and leaned against a tree trunk. 'Why did I react like that? Didn't I… want him to acknowledge me?'

She huffed, crossing her arms. "Not like that."

The truth was, despite how she knew he was… she found herself drawn to him. Or maybe she was forcing herself to be drawn to him. 'I'm starting to like him.' She realized.

That's why she didn't want him near her, why she had to push him away. 'Yuuki's in love with him. He's Yuuki's!' She chanted it to herself over and over, hoping her stubborn heart would get over its new found attraction to the Vampire Prince.

However, her heart chanted back, telling her that she was lying to herself, telling her that she only attracted to Kaname because she was afraid of falling in love with him.

Kagome snorted. "Afraid to fall in love with someone you know you can never have? Of course I am."

But… maybe she'd try to win him over anyway.

"I'm just giving him these because of what happened!" Kagome's voice echoed through the halls. "It's just a token of my…"

'She sounds like Yuuki. Falling all over Kaname like that.' Zero walked the halls with shadowed eyes, unable to sleep, unable to get over the pain. In fact, it was getting worse.

Panting, he leaned against the wall before collapsing.

"Ignoring it and running away won't change what's happening." Kaien said quietly, "I don't know why you insist on pushing yourself to the limit like this."

"Shut. Up." Zero muttered, trying to ease himself through the pain. He got up only to have to sit back down again.

Kaien held out a blood pill and a glass of water. "It'll ease the pain, take it."

Zero knocked it out of his hand, before his hand retreated to hold his side.

Kaien stood up from his kneeling position and seemed to ignore what just happened. "These attacks seem to be occurring more frequently."

"You don't think?" Zero murmured.

"I'm afraid things will only get harder going forward. There's no going back with this. I'm sorry, but you do understand… don't you?"

Zero didn't answer.

"…Hey are you okay?"

Surprise showed on both of their faces as Kagome appeared at the end of the hall.

Zero looked away, slightly peeved. 'Why does she keep showing up when I'm having these?!'

Kagome rushed to his side and glanced up at Kaien, "What happened?" She asked, referring to the glass and splattered water, as well as Zero.

She didn't notice the pill slowly turning red next to said glass.

Kaien frowned, "Zero had a random burst of pain, but these are normal for him." He added seeing Kagome's look.

She stared at him dumbfounded, "If they're normal then why aren't you trying to find a solution?! You do care about him don't you?!"

Kaien flinched, "…There is no solution."

"What do you mean 'there is no solution'?!"

Zero slapped her hand away when she reached out to help him. "Leave it alone Kagome! IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"

"You're my friend so therefore it IS my business!" She murmured quietly, turning away from him slightly.

Zero's eyes narrowed, "Why don't you go pamper Kaname!? I'm sure he'd appreciate it far more than I do!"

Kagome froze and her eyes widened. 'K-Kaname… why does he think...?' Her quick temper took over and her face burned with her ire. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

Zero winced and held his stomach, "You're giving him chocolates, that says it all!"

Kagome gasped, 'Does a box of chocolates… really say it all?' Instead of replying she ran back into the kitchen, grabbed her chocolates from the freezer and threw them in the trash. 'I'm so stupid!' She thought as tears blurred her vision.

i luv niki4444

OH LOOK! A flying update! xD That's really amazing don'tcha think?

HELLO EVERYONE! A few days later than planned but she's finally here!

Now because there are less chapters than before I don't think you'll be able to review (if you already have... Idk there were problems with that on a different one of my stories.) so if you really really really (Akako: Niki's getting desperate. xD) want to review and it says you can't because you've already reviewed this chapter blah blah blah... You can just log out of your account (Akako: No one is going to take that much time out of their day to make your heart fluttery and get you teary eyed. -_-) and type your username in as an anonymous review! xD I do that whenever I read one of my favorite fics over again and I find I've already reviewed that chapter. :D ... Still hasn't been updated. :'(((((

Love Always

~Niki